If your browser in Las Vegas suddenly whisks you from a harmless-looking page to a sketchy login screen or a too-good-to-be-true offer, the FBI says that might be more than just a random glitch. Federal agents are warning that cybercriminals are quietly using sophisticated redirect networks, known as traffic distribution systems or TDSs, to funnel unsuspecting users toward phishing pages, scam pitches and malware downloads.
The FBI says these redirect chains can slip past many common firewall rules and have already been used in operations that ended with ransomware infections or other financial scams. The Las Vegas field office amplified the national alert on social media as the advisory went public.
RT @FBICyberDiv: Today the FBI released a #PSA warning the public about cyber criminal use of traffic distribution systems (TDSs) to gain a… https://x.com/i/status/2067748829164609585
— FBI Las Vegas (@FBILasVegas) June 18, 2026
What The FBI Warned
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Public Service Announcement, operators of malicious TDSs collect details like a visitor’s IP address, operating system, location, device and browser. Victims are then routed through layers of intermediate nodes that hide where the traffic is really headed…